Gaff guard for linemen&#39;s climbers



' c. N. WOLLENSACK GAFF' GUARD FOR LINEMENS CLIMBERS Feb. 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1947 INVENTOR C. N. WOLLENSACK BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAFF GUARD FOR LINEMEN S CLIMBERS Clifford Nelson Wollensack, New Haven, Conn, assignor to American Telephone and Telegraph Company, a corporation of New York Application October 15, 1947, Serial No. 780,035

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to gaff guards for linemens climbers and more particularly to a guard which may be readily positioned over the gaff or spur on the leg iron of the climber and removed therefrom with a minimum amount of energy and which when mounted in position will prevent injury to the person handling the climber and also prevent damage to the gaff.

The object of the invention is to provide, in a single unitary structure, a guard or protector for the gafis or spurs of linemens climbers which is firmly secured in position over the gaff to completely protect the point and which will not be unintentionally displaced.

The gaff guard of my invention comprises a conical-shaped gaff-enclosing member constructed in the form of a coiled spring and means integral therewith for securing it over the gafi or spur on the leg iron of the climber.

In a modified form of my invention I have provided adjustable means associated with the guard for clamping it to the leg iron of the climber.

My invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read with reference to the following drawings of which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the guard of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view in perspective, of the guard shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a leg iron, of a climber, with the guard shown in Fig. 1 in position thereon;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the invention which incorporates an adjustable clamping means for securing the guard to the leg iron of the climber;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation fragmentary view of a leg iron of a climber with the guard shown in Fig. 4 in position thereon.

With reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing, the numeral l designates the leg iron of a linemans climber which has positioned on its outer side a gaff or spur H, which extends downwardly and outwardly and terminates in a sharp point |2.

The guard or protector, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, comprises a conical-shaped coiled spring enclosing member |3 having integral therewith an extending arm portion I4, said arm having its free end l bent at right angles with respect to the main portion of the arm l4 and terminating in a return bend hook portion I6. The lower portion of the arm I4 is bent back upon 2 itself at |l to provide a loop |8, the end of which is bent to form a hook l9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the member I3 is positioned over the gaff II, with the hooks l6 and i9 snapped around and embracing the leg iron |l.'|, thereby securel holding the guard l3 over the gaff. To remove the guard I3 the hook I6 is first removed by a slight pressure toward the outside of the leg iron Ill. The lower hook l9 may then be readily displaced and the guard removed from the gafi.

In the modified form of guard as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the body portion 20 of the guard is substantially the same in construction as that shown at I3 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and includes an adjustable means for securing the guard to the leg iron 2|, over the gaff 22. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, an arm 23 extends longitudinally from the body portion 20 and terminates in a block or jaw 24 which is provided with a shouldered portion 25 having a V-shaped groove 26 therein. Secured in the jaw 24 and extending at right angles with respect to the arm 23, is a threaded rod 21 which has slidably mounted thereon a second jaw or block 28 which is substantially the same configuration as the block 24. Located on the rod 21, between the two jaw members 24 and 28, is a coiled spring 29, the tension of which maintains the jaws 24 and 28 spaced apart. The knurled nut 30, upon clockwise rotation, causes the jaw 28 to be moved inwardly on the rod 21 against the tension of the spring 29 thereby providing for the adjustment of the jaw 28 either inward or outward by rotating the adjustable nut 30 either in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.

In applying the guard 20 over the gaff 22 on the leg iron 2| the nut 30 is turned counter-clockwise until the space between the jaws 24 and 28 is sufficient to permit the leg iron to be inserted therebetween. The member 20 is then placed over the gaff 22 and the jaws 24 and 28 fastened on ach side of the leg iron 2| on the inside thereof by tightening the nut 30 in a clockwise direction to force the jaw 28 tightly against the edge of the leg iron 2| as shown in Fig. 6.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and that I am only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protector for gaffs on linemens climbing irons comprising a conical coiled spring mem- 3 her adapted to completel enclose the point of the gaff and means integral therewith for securing said protector to said climbing iron in position over said gaff.

2. A protector for gaffs on linemens climbing irons comprising a conical coiled spring member adapted to completely enclose the point of the gall and a pair of hook members extending from said spring member and integral therewith for securing said protector to said climbing iron in position over said gaff.

3. A protector for gafis on linemens climbing irons comprising a single length of wire formed into a conical coiled spring member adapted to completely enclose the point or" the gaff and means integral therewith for securing said protector to said climbing irons in position over said gaff.

4. A protector for gaffs on linemens climbing irons comprising a conical coiled spring member adapted to completely enclose the point of the gaff and adjustable means on said protector for securing said protector to said climbing iron in position over the gaff.

irons comprising a single length of wire formed into a conical coiled spring member adapted to completely enclose the point of the gaff and adjustable means comprising a pair of jaw members, one of which is slidable, for securing said protector to said climbing iron in position over said gall.

5. A protector for gafis on linemens climbing 25 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hushour Oct. 24, 1933 Number 

